AIR SUPPLY

03.25.14

Pollution Causes 1 in 8 Deaths

Feng Li/Getty

Seven million people worldwide died in 2012 as a result of air pollution, according to figures released from the World Health Organization released Tuesday. That means one in eight death was caused by dirty air, which is twice the amount previously estimated. One third of these death occurred in Asia, where the fast-developing and industrializing nations of India and China are increasingly known for their poor air quality. The report identified air pollution as the biggest environmental threat and said burning noxious fuels-coal, wood, and animal waste-were some of the greatest detriments to human health.